An attempt to spread the word of Agriculture through my own experiences. Inspired by Advocates for Agriculture and their story on ABC's Landline on the 14th August 2011. Might take me a while to get this page up to scratch, but it should be fun trying.

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Thank you to everybody who has shared this blog. Sharing is the way these things work, otherwise I'm justing talking to myself. If you like what you read please tweet, Facebook or email it to your mates. The more people outside our agricultural circle we can reach the better. Don't forget to have a look at the other blogs I'm following too. Everyone has a story to tell.

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

#Hadagutful 2.0 - This time it's personal.....

In November
2012, we showed everyone we’ve had a bloody gutful.

Had a gutful
of the criticism, the insults, the assumptions, the simplistic solutions
offered, the ideological claims and counter claims against our trade.

Had a gutful
of some bright spark in an office somewhere claiming that he’d worked out on a
piece of paper that should the live trade cease, sheep prices will only drop by
$5-10, while at the same time we watch them plummet from $90 to $35 in the
space of twelve months with a restricted trade. And that’s if you can actually sell them.

Had a gutful
of being told we should send all our animals to local processors while the
local processor tells us they either a.) don’t want them b.) can’t take them
for eight weeks or c.) can only take some until the new season lambs come
online.

Had a gutful
of being told how much of a difference our new regulations are making a huge to
overseas markets, while reading that Romania has lifted sheep exports from zero
to a million head, and how Somaliland is gearing up their new 55 000 head
holding facility for Saudi. Only difference has been we aren’t there.

Had a gutful
of being told how our new regulations are an improvement in animal welfare,
while we castrate ram hoggets and lop their horns off to the ear because we can’t
sell them anymore, but might be able
to as wethers, once they heal.

So last
year, we had a gutful.

Now, we’ve
just got the shits on.

Letters,
emails and phone calls don’t seem to have worked. Senator Bob Carr said two
weeks ago he knew of no problems in foreign relations with importing countries.
The Chief Vet said what a wonderful job the regulations were doing. Senator Joe
Ludwig heralds the changes a success, despite many letters from affected
producers.

So we need
to make it personal.

On Wednesday 27th March, the Prime
Minister and her Cabinet will be attending a Community Cabinet at the Thornlie
Senior High School, Ovens Road, Thornlie, W.A, from 4.30 pm onwards. Details of
the event are here.

I would urge as many of you as possible
to attend. Registration has closed for attendance to the public forums, though
a few of us have managed to get accepted, but a large presence outside the
venue would certainly draw attention to our cause. We all know the effects this
Government has had on export markets, and the subsequent flow on effects to the
entire sheep and cattle industry. Newspaper articles, letters and phone calls
don’t seem to be getting anyone’s attention, Senator Bob Carr himself said only
a few weeks ago he had no knowledge of any problems.

Please be aware the the Stop Live
Exports movement is also planning to attend, though they would rather we
weren’t there, and in an email sent to their subscribers they commented “We do not want a
repeat of the pro-live export counter-presence that occurred at the Human Chain
event in November, so would like to keep it off social media (Twitter, Facebook
etc.) until then.”

The November Rally was all about
countering theirs. This time, it’s all about the Politicians who will be there.
We want a show of numbers to let them know just how many peoples lives they
have affected. And it is because of this and the large National media presence
that will be there it is imperative that any one attending keeps firmly in
line.

As a visual representation, we are
asking that you bring along a sheep or cattle tag. We hope to be able to
present these to someone as a display of our unhappiness with their handling of
live exports.

Also, feel free to bring banners and
signs, but again, please remember to keep them respectful and relevant.

We have no real idea how the
afternoon will go. Security will be tight as the Prime Minister will be there.
All we can hope is we get some coverage and those inside the meeting get a
chance to pose some questions or make some points.

The following is being circulated
around, please feel free to spread further.

Hadagutful 2...

Livestock Producers from all over the state will be making the trip to Perth to
pose questions and voice their concerns regarding the Live Export Industry to
the Prime Minister at the Community Cabinet next Wednesday, March 27th 2013.

Producers Australia wide can contribute by emailing an A4 or A5 summary of
their name, property location, an outline of their current situation as a
result of the last ban on live export and the potential effect an immediate ban
would have. Livestock eartags are also being collected to illustrate the sheer
volume of businesses that have been and will be affected by a ban on live
export. Included in this submission producers can submit the key questions they
would like to put to the PM. For those who would like to show their personal support, they are
encouraged to do so and can meet at Thornlie Senior High School at 4.00pm,
Wednesday March 27th where they can take part in a peaceful and respectful show
of support for the Live Export producers and industry. Please bring along signs
similar to the ones used at the rally in Fremantle - which simply said
“#hadagutful” or “I am a ............. and I support Live Export”.

To submit a tag from your property, post to Boyup Brook Co-op, Bridge St, Boyup
Brook 6244 WA. Alternatively, your stockbrand can be typed and emailed through
in a word document.
Please email your personal story to cgleesteere@gmail.com

Further info Felicity Taylor pineviewfarm@live.com.au

I would also like it to be known this
has all come about from a wide range of people, not just us.

Thank you for the support, and
hopefully with the upcoming election we can put some pressure on for some
action.

Hiya, long shot but think when the first hadagutful rally was on, there were some anti live export folk on the bridge...well one young lady from amongst them posted a video on youtube, talking about the brutal thuggery of the police and how ugly it got yada yada...then someone else showed excerpts of her video, then added on some actual footage from on the bridge showing how good the police really were and how thin her BS was. I cannot find it and wondering if any one has a link please? Cheers :-)

Agchatoz

About Me

I farm in Geraldton, West Australia with my wife Gemma and her parents. We run a export depot for sheep and goats on one property, a bit of crop and damara sheep on another, and Gemma's parents run the damara sheep station near Yalgoo, about 200kms east of Geraldton.